Orleans - S/T (1973 abc)

You never know what you get when purchasing a record for one euro on the flea. This time i got quite nice, laid back, well played The Eagles-style funk-reggae-country pop. Guitarist John Hall has played with Karen Dalton, Janis Joplin, some The Band guys and Little Feat for example and the drummer of the band Wells Kelly played with Blues Magoos. The two Hoppens have been professional session musicians too. Jerry Marotta, brother of Rick Marotta joined the Orleans later. John Hall still works with guitar.

Morgen - Morgen (1969 Probe, this RE)

My first impression is: the base beat in this music is like The 13th Floor Elevators. Ok, the more the record spins, the more childish this becomes. BUT the still further i hear this the more confused i become. What the hell is this. I think, and i'm sorry to think like it, but i think this is kind of copycat music. This album is so odd that it must be a psychedelic masterpiece... he he.. Morgen Morgen nur nicht heute.. ist the most ooooooodddd thing i have met for a while. After listening this once and twice through i have to confess this "Morgen" is something i was not ready to hear... well, ööh, this is something i have hoped there will still exist, and here it is... Enjoyable drumming and guitarring and everything. Great record! After all, Morgen must be the best psychedelic album ever. Ps. I went grazy when listening this last night and wrote stream of consciouness shit. I wrote what i felt at the very moment the record was spinning and first my feelings varied from edge to another. This a shortened and cleaned version of that stream... Morgen is a superb, grazy, smooth, punkish, playful, skillful, inspired, garagecreasy, easily flowin psychedelic album. I never use the phrase "mind blowin'. Not until now."Everything i have imagined to exist in a perfect psychalbum is on this. Mind blowing!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0XHtDmnShFI&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zdxdMraKmk0&feature=related

Frantic - Conception (1971 Lizard)

Tyylikästä hard rokkia jonka eri yhteyksissä mainitut mahdolliset psyke-elementit rajoittuvat lievän ajoittaisesti lähinnä soundipuolelle. Hyvä hardrock levy joka tapauksessa. Classy hard rock, but have to say that those here and there mentioned possible psyche-elements limit only on some sound effects near psych sounds, nothing else really. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PVjxUFDInyQ

Hurriganes - Roadrunner (1974 Love Records)

Mostly straight foward rock'n roll by Hurriganes. Yes, band's name, also known as "Ganes" is written with G instead of C. Their best known piece "Get On" won the first price on European Broadcasting Unit's competition named "European Pop Jury" in 1974. I was listening the radio that night and can recall being very proud of our Hurriganes at that moment. "Get on"'s lyrics are written and sung by Remu, the leader and drummer of the group, who apparently was not very home in English language writing the lyrics in a hurry by a kind of fonetic method. Englisman Michael Stanley picked them after hearing them in a gig and produced this sophomore album. It was recorded in the legendary Marcus Music Studios in Stockholm, Sweden. So the sound on this album is the best one could get around here in 1974. Bands debut album - by the way - was produced by Måns Groundstroem, the long-term bassist of progressive rock group Wigwam. Ganes' guitarist Albert Järvinen was without doubt a very good guitarist who did not make a number of himself. Hugo "Cisse" Häkkinen was the man just fit for purpose playing base and being the showman of the band. They both sadly died quite young. Love Records was a sort of underground label in Finland and they mostly published prog and some other odd stuff. I thing it is odd enough that they they recorded Hurriganes. Or maybe it isn't because their first producer Groundstroem's band Wigwam recorded many years on that label. Many of the records on "Love" -label are rare and sought after in Finland today. I'm not a big fan of Ganes, but this "Roadrunner" is one essential stone in the basement of Finnish rock. I finally purchased it on vinyl not until today and proudly added in my "poop" vinyl collection. "Get on" has always been my secret love. Maybe Carolina Hurricanes could choose "Get on" played every time they get a goal. Remu be goode... Kävin muuten heidän keikoillaan ainakin Huittisten Huhkolinnassa ja Punkalaitumen Särkässä silloin kun bändi oli kuumimmillaan.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yGCviZAdxeY

The Alan Bown - Self Titled (1968 Verve Forecast)

Mukavasti rullaavaa vuoden 1968 brittipoppia, jossa kuuluu myös häivähdyksiä progen ja psychen suuntiin. Erityisen tästä tekee yhdistelmä messinkiä, Hammondia ja sumeaa kitaraa. Sävellysten puolesta keskimäärin vain ok, mutta soundeiltaan mielenkiintoinen levy. Toisaalta... kuuntelen tätä uudelleen nyt pari päivää myöhemmin ja huomaan löytäväni uusia ulottuvuuksia. Mielenkiintoisen musiikista tekee myös etevät rytminvaihdokset ja siirtymiset tyylilajista toiseen. Mitään pehmåpåppia tämä ei ole, särmää löytyy. Itse asiassa aika erikoinen kokoelma.

Paul Levinson with Ed Fox and Peter Rosenthal - Twice Upon A Rhyme (1972 Happysad this re SoS)

What a wonderfull album this is! High standard folkpsychpop! Brilliant!

Hapshash And The Coloured Coat Featuring The Human Host And The Heavy Metal Kids (1967 Minit)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X8EV8Rh3Ols

Lotti Golden - Self Titled (1971 GRT)

Intensiivistä hippijoikua...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B9iUIVR7T6Q&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J6iFiTrkRQc

Anonymous commented:

"Lotti Golden's self-titled sophomore LP is a departure from her 1969 opus, "Motor-Cycle" on Atlantic Records. Whereas Golden's debut was a concept LP and highly original, this GRT LP is more conventional, however many of the songs are truly wonderful! Fabulous vocals and musicianship."

Thanks for the comment Anon! Lottie's first LP record developed a kind of cult fame around her. Never heard the debut album but have listened to this sophomore one this Sunday morning a couple of times, when having extra time. This album was worth obtaining as it was available but the debut one would be even more acceptable. I have listened to this record during the day and it slowly grows better and better in my ears.

Mark Stewart - Stranger

Mark Stewartin versio Satien pianokappaleesta. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qiZt01Xb0us

Nazareth - Exercises (1972)

Do you remember this one? It is full of good songs.

Madeleine: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fWEWRwZDEIQ&feature=results_video&playnext=1&list=PL291D3D5CCB4DB7C7

Woke up this morning: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iqZyhc5pZ88

Alamo - Alamo (1971 Atlantic)

This may be a bit less known band and record, but they play and sound very good. Hammond driven rock from early seventies with some occasional classy prog elements. Good guitar work and vocals and everything else too. Levyn kappaleet toimivat hyvin sävellyksinä, sen soundit toimivat juuri siinä välissä josta pidän: liven ja liian siloitellun, tappiinsa tuotetun puolivälissä. Ken Woodley, Larry Raspberry, Richard Rosebrough, Larry Davis.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BxBeysb-Rww
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ir-3Bt8tkLw&NR=1

Gospel Oak - Gospel Oak (1970 Kapp)

Gospel Oak on kaupunginosa Lontoossa, mutta myös mikä tahansa vanha tammi, jonka suojiin ihmiset ennen kokoontuvat harrastamaan kristillistä hartautta. Bändi on Amerikkalainen, vaikka se löysikin itsensä vasta Lontoossa. Beatles-tiedottaja Tony Barrow ryhtyi heidän managerikseen ja saivat aikaan tämän yhden ja ainoan, melko suoraviivaista kantripohjaista rokkia sisältävän levyn. Olisi mukava tietää missä juuri tämä komea tammi sijaitsi ja onko se vielä voimissaan. It would be nice to get to know where this giant oak actually grew and if it still is there.

The Trout - The Trout (1968 MGM)

Romeon veljeksistä Tony on säveltänyt mm. Lou Christielle. Tämä heidän ja Cassandra Morganin yhteinen projektinsa on erittäin mielenkiintoinen kokoelma maalaismaisemaan ympättyä psychpoptunnelmaa. Tony ja Morgan työsketelivät myöhemmin Lou Christien kanssa, jolle Tony sävelsi. Cassandra loi uraa New Yorkin oopperassa. Levy on moniulotteinen paitsi sävellystensä, niin myös musiikillisen muotonsa puolesta. Orkestroitu tausta, sopivassa mitassa hyödynnetyt ääniefektit ja tavallisesta poikkeavien soittimien, kuten huilun ja harpun käyttö luovat kansikuvan ja musiikillisen sisällön välille herkullista ristiriitaa ja jännitettä. Cassandra siis laulaa, mutta pojat antavat paikoin doo-wop -tukea ja kolmikon laulu toimii nautittavalla tavalla. Musiikki syntyy helpon tuntuisesti ja juuri se tekee kuuntelukokemuksesta virkistävän, vaikka toisaalta levyä ei ole viimisen päälle tuunattu, ja ehkä juuri siksi. Kansikotelon kuvat ovat upeat. Levy alkaa 35 sekunnin mittaisella "The beginning" renkutuksella ääniefekteineen ja päättyy kesken katkeavaan 22 sekunnin mittaiseen "the End" :iin. Ympyrä sulkeutuu hauskasti ja kuuntelijan mielihyvin kääntämään levyn ja alkamaan alusta....

Mojo (Mojo Men) - Mojo Magic (1968 GRT)

Nice sunshine pop with some light psychedelic scent. Mojo Men came from San Francisco. They sound a bit like Mamas & Papas but different enough in a good way to have an clearly own identity. After listening this two times through now i can still hear cool sunshine. Good work!

Taos

This much better record than i reviewed before. Band moved to this "spiritual" place Taos from San Francisco. Finnish artist Axel Gallen-Kallela moved there too. It was in early 1920s. He lived there few years and painted some local motifs and at the same time started to sketch the paintings for Suur-Kalevala (Big-Kalevala). "Artists Home":

http://www.museumsyndicate.com/artist.php?artist=795

http://www.museumsyndicate.com/images/4/31379.jpg